this unfamiliar road
by ifonly13
Summary: There are things that remain constant between the two cities. Kate clings to them. :: Post-Watershed.
1. Chapter 1

DC is different.

It is quiet, as if the city falls into a reverent silence in honor of the hallowed halls which make up the skyline.

It is clean, less trash littering the Metro stations as if to make up for the constantly out-of-service escalators.

It is small, everything of importance crowded into one area at the center of the city.

But there are things that remain constant between the two cities.

Taxi drivers shout obscenities at pedestrians crossing against the lights. The subway runs off schedule. The summer heat and humidity press down upon everyone, uncaring of their business suits and un-air conditioned apartments. There are tourist areas and there are places where only residents dare venture.

Kate clings to those few things, to the sense of a familiarity they afford her.

The AG's office is more professional than the Twelfth. So she cuts her hair, giving up her long, honey-brown curls for short, dark waves that fall to her shoulders. She trades flowing tops and fitted t-shirts for button-ups and tailored blazers. Low-heeled pumps replace her beloved heels.

She changes everything to fit in. Adapting to the new environment seamlessly.

Everyone gets the Fourth of July off, sent off to go celebrate freedom with cookouts, concerts on the Mall, and fireworks. Skeleton shifts alternate for the weekend and Kate gets lucky, pulling the Sunday afternoon shift. With a chorus of "Have a happy Fourth!" echoing behind her, she leaves work at exactly five o'clock on Wednesday, smiling despite her teammates' teasing of jetting off to spend time with her boyfriend.

The escalators going down into the Judiciary Square Metro are working for the first time in what seems like a month. She tucks her bag in close against her body as she jogs down the left-hand side of the moving stairs, passing tired paralegals and Congressional aides still wearing their red badges. The station smells of bad coffee, sweat, and old perfume and Kate is no longer hit with memories of the precinct having that same lingering scent. Overhead boards declare that the next Shady Grove bound train is two minutes away.

She moves to the end of the tunnel, searching the tile for the stain that marks her spot. The spot exactly where the doors open on the second car of the train. Kate scuffs at it with the toe of her shoe; the dark circle doesn't budge, permanently hiding part of the flashing red light that lets everyone in the station know that the train is a minute away.

There are seats available in her car but Kate chooses to lean against one of the rails, taking her phone out from her pocket. Work e-mails fill her inbox, updates from other agents on cases mixed with Google Alerts on topics that fit in with current investigations. She finds the flight confirmation among them, checking-in online so that she can skip the long lines at Reagan and just go to security with her weekender bag.

It's close to five thirty when she finally unlocks the door of the townhouse, kicking off her ankle boots in the entryway. Her feet stick to the hardwood as she climbs the stairs to the bedroom. She strips off her clothes, leaving them in a pile on the bed in order to change into shorts and a tank top. Even after a month, she still reaches back to flip her hair out from under the collar. Sliding her feet into a pair of flipflops, Kate hooks the leather weekender in the crook of her elbow, gathers her wallet and keys, and heads out to Dupont Circle to catch a cab to Reagan.


	2. Chapter 2

New York City is familiar.

It is loud, as if the city demands to be heard over the noise of the rest of the country, refusing to be silenced.

It is dirty, uncaring of the upscale boutiques which share streets with homeless shelters and food trucks, a perpetual covering of dust over the roads.

It is large, sprawling over an island and more, unable to be contained in just one area.

It's home.

She feels the comfortable weight of her city settle on her shoulders as she navigates through LaGuardia's arrivals terminal. Weaving around the family who are reuniting in the middle of the walkway, Kate finds her father standing the same spot as he did that afternoon fifteen years ago when she landed from California for winter break.

"Hey, Katie," he says as he wraps her up in a hug. "How was the flight?"

"Good. Short."

"And DC?"

She starts walking toward the exit, keeping him at her side. "Better than I expected. The people there are great. But there's a pretty steep learning curve and I'm not ━"

"You'll be fine. Always have been a fast learner." Jim digs into his pocket, jingling the keys over her palm. "Here. Be gentle with her."

Kate takes the keys, looping her finger through the key ring. "I'll drive you back to your place," she says.

"Oh, no. You get on the road. I'll grab a cab." She starts to protest but he holds up a hand. "Seriously. Go."

"Thanks, Dad," she says, giving him one last hug. "I'll drop the car off Sunday morning."

The silver Toyota is parked in the short-term lot. Kate tosses her weekender into the passenger seat before she starts out from the parking lot and gets onto Route 27 East. Traffic is snarled, one of the downsides of spending the Fourth in the Hamptons with the rest of the city, but Kate stretches her legs out under the wheel and turns the music up.

Close to two and a half hours later, she pulls into the U-shaped driveway already crowded with other cars. She recognizes Esposito's unmarked and Ryan's beat-up sedan in the line as she walks over to the front door.

It's open, wide and inviting, with music spilling out onto the small porch.

"Kate, darling!" Martha shouts, detouring her route toward the living room in order to tug Kate into the house. "So glad you could make it out here, kiddo. How's the District?"

The woman is overwhelming even after six years. "Uh, good. Busy."

"Yes, well, we're all happy for you, playing with the big-boys now," she says, linking her arm through Kate's. "Drop your things anywhere and come on. We're on the lawn."

Kate places the bag on the couch as she trails Martha out onto the back porch. There's a stereo set up on the steps, loud bass and brassy guitar filling the space. A table is covered with drinks, a cooler of beer stashed in the shade. Chairs dot the lawn.

His laugh gives his position away. Down by the shoreline of the beach, just at the place where the bright green grass gives way to the tan sand. A beer sweats in his hand as he talks to the boys. She can see the lines of his biceps under the sleeves of his t-shirt, his hair a shade lighter in the late afternoon sun.

"Go," Martha says, nudging Kate's arm. "He's been glancing at the porch every two minutes waiting for you to get here."

She takes off her flipflops, letting the blades of grass caress the soles of her feet on the walk over. Almost immediately, she wishes she had something to hold, something to stop her from twisting her hands nervously. "Hey, Castle."

He turns quickly, elbow nearly clipping her arm in his haste. "Kate," he breathes. "You made it."

"Said I'd try my best," she responds. "Got lucky with the federal weekend draw."

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't thinking of ways to rig that system," Castle laughs. "God, it's good to see you in person."

It feels even better to finally, after a long month of living on Skype calls and text messages, have him wrap his arms around her in a tight hug. She had almost forgotten how, without her heels on, her head tucks in under his chin and how warm his hands are against her back, save for the chilly line of the beer bottle between her shoulders.

"I've missed you," he murmurs into her hair.

She smiles, tilting her head back to touch her lips to his throat. "Missed you too. Work isn't the same without your less-than-helpful insights."

"Hey! I've helped plenty, haven't I, boys?" he asks, turning to Ryan and Esposito for back-up.

Ryan nods emphatically while Esposito simply shrugs.

"Aliens and ice bullets?" Kate pulls free, heading back toward the cooler for a beer. "Real helpful."

"Came close a couple of times," he mumbles, trailing after her still. Always at her back, shadowing her steps. "How long you here for?"

She can hear the regret and sadness already leaching into the otherwise cheerful tone. Tossing the bottle cap into the bucket of empties, Kate reaches for his free hand, tangling her fingers with his. "Sunday morning."

"Perfect."


	3. Chapter 3

She falls asleep on the lounge chair by the pool in the late afternoon. Her face smashed into the spine of her book, earbuds fallen out on each side of her head, and a foot dangling off the edge of the chair and onto the deep red cement of the pool deck.

The gentle swirl of fingertips on her bare shoulder rouses her, shaking herself into alertness and ending up flinging her sunglasses off her head and into the deep end of the pool.

"What're you doing?" she grumbles, wiping off the pages of the book and trying to flatten out the paper that had wrinkled a little under her cheek. "Was sleeping."

"Why?"

"It's hot. Makes me tired," Kate replies, shoving her book under the chair and rolling onto her side so she can see him. "What'd you want?"

He leans in close, his lips a breath away from her ear. "I know something else that makes you pretty tired," he whispers and she can feel the grin on his face.

"Yeah. Kicking asses and taking names," she replies, flopping onto her back and flexing her toes. "It's exhausting."

Castle hums, trailing a finger up her sun-warmed thigh to the line of her bathing suit, index finger barely teasing under the elastic band. "I bet. You should relax."

Kate manages to glare even with just one eye cracked open. "Hence the sleeping in the sun. You gonna get my glasses?"

"Nope," he says, sitting back on his chair. "That's all you."

She stands, walks to the edge of the pool, then dives in. Cutting a smooth line through the water, Kate snags her sunglasses and emerges on the other side, swiping wet hair from her face. She forgoes the ladder and heaves herself up and out of the water, squeezing out her short hair. Then turns around and catches his eyes wandering up her body, not even attempting to hide the way he lingers at her ass, along the gentle curve of her waist, and up to her chest.

"You just wanted to leer at me," she accuses, shaking off the sunglasses on her way back over.

Castle shrugs. "Added benefit. Now, about that relaxing," he says, planting his fingers on her hip to tug her closer until she stands between his legs. "Still got some time before I need to start up the barbecue and you're already wet," he adds with an almost comical wiggle of his brows.

"Just ruined it," Kate says, taking her towel and book from the chair. "Gonna go shower off."

"Hey, hey! I can help get your back!" he shouts, nipping at her neels. "I'm very good with a loofa."

"As evidenced by your silky smooth skin. See you in a few, Castle," she says as she ducks into their bedroom and shuts the door.

She showers quickly. Her hair doesn't take nearly as long as it did before the cut and she lets it drip-dry down the back of her sundress instead of blow-drying, the strands already turning into tight curls that'll loosen up as the night progresses. She puts on just a bit of mascara before going back downstairs to the kitchen.

"Where is everyone?" she asks, coming up behind Castle at the island and trailing her fingers under his shirt, his skin still warm from the outdoors.

"Went down to the beach. I think Alexis said that she and Dan brought a volleyball set and everyone wanted a piece of that," he says, chopping the tomatoes into thick slices for the burgers.

Kate stays, plugging her phone into the music dock and putting together the potato salad as Castle gets started on the grill. Their family and friends return in waves, heading toward showers or the living room to cool down. Lanie joins them in the kitchen, tossing the salad and taking down plates and silverware to put out on the patio.

An hour later, the nine people sit around a table or on the steps of the porch or on pool chairs, plates heavy with burgers and three types of salad. Martha regales them with the stories of her latest summer stock production until it turns into tales of Castle as a baby and he makes her sit down before they get too embarrassing.

"Everyone!" shouts Ryan, standing up from the wrought-iron chair at the table, one hand still resting on Jenny's arm. "We'd like to make an announcement. We're pregnant!"

Congratulations are passed around even as bets begin to be taken on the baby's gender. Kate stands back, watching the celebration on the back lawn. She's happy for them, laughing as Castle nearly lifts Jenny up off her feet with the force of his hug and Esposito claps Ryan on the back.

But she feels a lingering sense of sadness tugging at the corners of her smile even two hours later as Castle pulls her back against his chest, arms heavy around her waist, their toes being tickled by the waves of the ocean as they watch the fireworks over the beach.


	4. Chapter 4

Kate doesn't shake the feeling until Saturday night.

Everyone has gone back to the city save her and Castle. They've retreated to the air conditioned bedroom, a bottle of wine on his bedside table and a plate of crackers and a jar of peanut butter on hers. Sleeping in late for the past days took its toll and they've been eating at strange times. Even at nearly nine at night, the crackers are plenty filling until eleven when he'll make them sandwiches.

She cradles the glass of wine to her chest, letting the chill seep into her skin. He reaches across her, snagging a piece of a Ritz. Crumbs litter the sheets between them.

"So," he says, scooting a little closer to her in the bed. "Any interesting cases lately?"

Kate sighs, letting the base of the glass rest on her stomach. "I can't talk about them. It sucks and I'm sorry but ━"

"No, it's okay." He eats the other half of the cheese. "But come on. They can't be as cool as the ones we worked."

She shrugs. "I can't really compare them. I don't get to see the results of these investigations, not the way I did at the Twelfth." The white wine is light on her tongue, sweet and refreshing. "It's frustrating, actually. I miss it."

"We miss you," he says, taking the glass from her fingers and setting it next to the bottle. "I miss you."

"Miss you too," Kate murmurs. "It's lonely."

"I bet. Plus, the chair next to Ryan's desk? It sucks. There's this screw that pokes my ass and he won't let me switch it out because he has some strange attraction to the red fabric. And Esposito never lets me write on the board and you know how much his handwriting sucks."

She knows that it is meant to be teasing, to bring her back into the fold of the precinct. She wants to know the jokes and the details of the cases that she never had the chance to pour over. But it only serves to push at the heavy sadness still twined tightly around her heart.

"I'm sorry, Castle," she whispers, moving to swing off the bed.

He tries to grab her wrist but she manages to elude him. "Kate..."

"No, I just need a second."

She escapes to the beach. The sky is dark, a deep velvet blanket dotted with stars overhead as she lays back in the sand. Everything has cooled down since the scorching heat of earlier and she's thankful. Thankful to have the quiet rush of the ocean and the call of the gulls and the breeze whistling through the reeds.

Kate curls her fingers into the sand, tracing meaningless patterns onto the soft surface.

"You okay?" he asks gently, sitting down behind her, his knee bumping against her shoulder. Barely touching her. Giving her space.

She pulls her knees up into low pyramids against the sand. "I don't know."

"Anything I can do? Or not do?"

"I'm doing the right thing, aren't I?" she says into the salt air.

"With what?"

"DC. The AG's office. This is the right thing to do, isn't it?" She turns her head to the right, finds his bare knee at face level.

She feels his hand brushing through her tangled hair. "Yes," he says, steel running through his voice. "You're so good at what you do, Kate. So good."

"But you guys ━"

"Are fine. We're fine. Sure, investigations are a little more testosterone-fueled now, but we're still standing."

Kate growls, rubbing at her eyes. "I hate feeling disconnected. I hate being the rookie again."

"You're a fast learner. You won't let yourself stay on the bottom for long."

"It feels wrong," she says. "I miss the city. God, Castle," she groans, rolling covering her face and muffling her words. "When I landed on Wednesday, it felt right. It felt like home. DC doesn't."

Castle tugs lightly on the ends of her hair. "What'll make DC at least a second home?" he asks, running a finger along the curve of her cheek.

"Time?" She groans, falling onto her back. "I don't know."

"Listen," he says, getting to his feet and helping her up. "And feel free to shoot this idea down. But would it help if I came down just for a few days? Gave the place my personal touch?"

Kate touches her fingers to his wrist, already walking back toward the house. "Might help. The apartment is decidedly empty of Castle-esque items."

"Ooh!" he shouts, hands on her waist and feet tripping her up as he presses a kiss to her neck. "Do I get a drawer in DC, too?"

"I think that can be arranged."


	5. Chapter 5

It takes her forever to pack. Not because she has a ton of stuff to re-fold and put into the chocolate brown weekender but because Castle keeps crowded into her back, his fingers teasing their way along her waist and down under the hem of her dress.

"Stop," she sighs, half-heartedly swatting at his hands as she tucks a t-shirt into the corner of the carry-on.

Castle hums against the crook of her shoulder, the vibrations travelling down along her chest and making her laugh. "Can't. You're irresistible."

She spins, the circle of her skirt brushing his knees. "We need to get on the road by seven at the latest," she says, trying to be stern. And failing.

He has to reach further up along her back to tangle his hands in her hair, tipping her head back so that he can smudge his lips over hers. "I can do fast," he says.

Kate shakes her head, kissing the angle of his Adam's apple. "Not even time for fast. Traffic will be shit to get back to Manhattan and my flight isn't going to wait."

"Fine," he groans, moving to her side to hand her the shorts and underwear to pack. "I'll just save my prowess for when I visit."

She drives them both back to the city. Castle had brought his own car out to the beach house but said he'd send one of the drivers from the car service out to pick it up later. He wants to spend as much time with her as possible.

Somewhere along the route back west along Long Island, things settle between them. He plays with the radio, switching between stations every two minutes. He sings along. He gets excited about seeing the classic cars on the road with them. He begs her to stop for snacks.

It's all so normal that it very nearly makes her forget that she's going to be saying goodbye in two hours.

"I need to drop the car at my dad's garage," she says as they sit in traffic just before entering the tunnel.

"No problem," he replies, sitting a little straighter in the passenger seat. It makes her laugh, how much her father still intimidates the man. "We can take a car back to the airport."

She wants to protest, to tell him that a cab is fine but he already has his phone out, dialing up the car service and asking them for a driver at her father's address. The garage is a block from her dad's apartment. She parks in his space, letting Castle carry both of their bags on the walk to the apartment building.

Jim meets them in the lobby, shaking Castle's hand and giving Kate a kiss on the cheek as she hands over the keys with her thanks. He wishes them both good luck and sends them back outside to get into the navy sedan sent by the car company.

Thankfully, the outgoing traffic from the island isn't as snarled and the driver drops them off at JFK, promising Castle that he'll be waiting in the parking lot until he calls.

She gets as far as the check-in counters before the tightness in her chest becomes overwhelming. Her hand squeezes his, already turning into his body before he can pull her close.

"It'll get better, Beckett," he murmurs into her ear. "It's got to."

"I know. I just... I don't want to say goodbye."

His fingers press into the muscles of her back, easing some of the tension built up along her spine. "It's not goodbye. I'll be there in two weeks at the latest. Just got to turn in the last draft of _Deadly Heat_."

Kate smiles against his shoulder. "_Deadly Heat_, huh?"

"What? I thought it was good."

"Just think of it as a reminder of what Nikki and I can do to you if you cross us," Kate says.

She steps back, his hand still on her hip as if he needs the touchstone of her body for as long as possible. His unshaven face scratches against her palm when she rests it on her cheek, fingertips smoothing over his ear, the edge of his smile tickling at her wrist.

"I love you," she whispers, pushing up onto the tips of her toes to kiss him, deep and slow. Storing the feeling away for those times when she wishes he were next to her in her bed in DC. "Thank you for believing in me."

He hands over her weekender, fingers sliding against hers. "I love you too, Kate. Wherever you are, whatever you do."

When she lands two hours later, DC doesn't feel so foreign anymore.


End file.
